Ekman circulation in the Arctic Ocean: Beyond the Beaufort Gyre

Data derived from satellite‐based observations, with buoy‐based observations and assimilations, are used to calculate ocean Ekman layer transport and evaluate long‐term trends in the Arctic Ocean over the period 1979–2014. The 36 year mean of upwelling (downwelling) is 3.7 ± 2.0 (–4.0 ± 2.2) Sv for the entire Arctic Basin, with ∼0.3 Sv net downwelling contributed mostly by the Canadian region. With regard to long‐term trends, the annual mean upwelling (downwelling) over the entire Arctic Basin is increasing at a linear rate of 0.92 (–0.98) Sv/decade. The Canada/Alaska coasts and Beaufort and Laptev Seas are regions of greatest Ekman transport intensification. The central Arctic Ocean and Lincoln Sea also have an increasing trend in transport. The Canadian and Eurasian regions each account for about half the total vertical Ekman variations in the Arctic Basin. Key Points The 36 year mean of upwelling (downwelling) is 3.7 ± 2.0 (–4.0 ± 2.2) (one standard deviation) Sv for the entire Arctic Basin The average upwelling (downwelling) trend is 0.92 (−0.98) Sv/decade for the entire Arctic Basin The linear trend of up/downwelling suggests that the Eurasian region has intensified more than the Canadian region